We follow the ARC (Australian Research Council) standards of integrity in all aspects of research. We conduct research according to appropriate ethical, legal and professional frameworks. Our obligations and standards in a research environment is also underpinned by a culture of integrity.

ARC Research Integrity Policy

In order to safeguard the integrity we use Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research (2018) (the Code). It also describes pathways via the ARC through which concerns about potential breaches of the Code can be referred to institutions for investigation.

Principles of responsible research conduct

P1 Honesty in the development, undertaking and reporting of research

• Present information truthfully and accurately in proposing, conducting and reporting research.

P2 Rigour in the development, undertaking and reporting of research

• Underpin research by attention to detail and robust methodology, avoiding or acknowledging biases.

P3 Transparency in declaring interests and reporting research methodology, data and findings • Share and communicate research methodology, data and findings openly, responsibly and accurately.

• Disclose and manage conflicts of interest.

P4 Fairness in the treatment of others

• Treat fellow researchers and others involved in the research fairly and with respect.

• Appropriately reference and cite the work of others.

• Give credit, including authorship where appropriate, to those who have contributed to the research.

P5 Respect for research participants, the wider community, animals and the environment

• Treat human participants and communities that are affected by the research with care and respect, giving appropriate consideration to the needs of minority groups or vulnerable people.

• Ensure that respect underpins all decisions and actions related to the care and use of animals in research.

• Minimise adverse effects of the research on the environment.

P6 Recognition of the right of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to be engaged in research that affects or is of particular significance to them

• Recognise, value and respect the diversity, heritage, knowledge, cultural property and connection to land of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

• Engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples prior to research being undertaken, so that they freely make decisions about their involvement.

• Report to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples the outcomes of research in which they have engaged.

P7 Accountability for the development, undertaking and reporting of research

• Comply with relevant legislation, policies and guidelines.

• Ensure good stewardship of public resources used to conduct research.

• Consider the consequences and outcomes of research prior to its communication

Approve research output

 Authors must approve the research output before its submission for publication and, in doing so, agree to be accountable for it. Authors must also approve the final version before publication. The final approval process may be coordinated by the publisher, often through the corresponding author. The corresponding author must keep written records that confirm that approval has been obtained from all authors. If an author is deceased, or after all reasonable efforts that have been made to establish contact have failed and have been documented, publication can proceed, provided that there are no grounds to believe that this person would have objected to being included as an author. In such instances, it may be appropriate for an institution to provide written agreement for the inclusion of an author.

Accountable for the research output

An author is responsible for ensuring the accuracy and integrity of their direct contribution to the research output. To achieve this, authors must adhere to the principles and responsibilities of the Code. Authors are also responsible for taking reasonable steps to ensure the accuracy and integrity of the contributions of all other co-authors. This means that authors should, where feasible, be able to identify which co-authors are responsible for specific other parts of the work and that they should raise any concerns about the accuracy and integrity of the research before submission or publication. If an individual does not agree to be accountable for their contribution, the contribution should not be included in the research output. Following publication, all authors must also ensure that any concerns about the accuracy or integrity of any part of the output are appropriately responded to. This may mean providing all necessary evidence to demonstrate the accuracy and integrity of their contribution, or seeking such evidence from the other co-authors. It may result in correcting the public record by way of erratum or retraction. If an author is deceased (or cannot be contacted after reasonable attempts have been made), all the co-authors must still have confidence in the accuracy and integrity of that author’s contribution. This may require consideration of the underlying data and methodology.